The cost of printing newspapers is, in part, a function of the number of lines which can be printed on a page. This cost could be reduced if additional lines (of the same print) could be printed on a page of paper of a specified size. Alternatively, revenues from classified advertising could be increased if additional lines could be printed on the same size of page.
We have discovered that presently available equipment and printing methods do not minimize this cost nor maximize the potential revenues. Such equipment is, in part, illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,719 which issued to L. S. Tyma, Jr. in 1962. This patent discloses a mechanism for cutting and folding the printed paper in either a "straight" mode or in the "collect" mode. Operation of this type of machine in the "collect" mode imposes constraints on the printer which preclude minimizing cost and maximizing revenues.
Such constraints can be pictorialized by considering the cutting and folding operation of the mechanism of Tyma. "Collect" mode operation is shown schematically in FIG. 1. A printed paper web 10 is fed to the folding and cutting mechanism 12 from the presses. The mechanism 12 comprises a cutting cylinder 14, folding cylinder 16 and second fold rollers 18. The folding cylinder 16 carries pins 20, 22, and 24 which pick up the leading edge of each section of the web 10. Cutting blades 26 and 28 of the cutting cylinder sever the web 10 into sections. Tucking blades 30 within the forming cylinder 16 will, at appropriate times, tuck the collected sections into folding rollers 18.
Operation of the mechanism 12 in this "collect" mode requires no adjustment to the Tyma mechanism. At least one of the cutting blades 26 is relocated about the periphery of the cutting cylinder 14 a short distance--usually about a quarter of an inch. This relocation results in the cutting of a short inside section and a longer outside section. Importantly, this relocation insures that the trailing edge of the inside section will not be cut a second time when the cutting blade 28 severs the outside web section. This result can be seen in FIG. 1 which discloses that the trailing edge of the inside section is shorter than the outside section and will not be resevered by cutting blade 28 as it severs the outside section. Such repositioning of at least one of the cutting blades 26 has been regarded as necessary to avoid shredding of the the trailing edge of the inside section and proper cutting of the outside section. Shims are provided with the cutting cylinder to facilitate the illustrated adjustment of blade 26.
But operation of the mechanism 12 in the "collect" mode requires more than an adjustment to one of the cutting blades. The printer must anticipate a shorter inside section and reduce the number of printed lines on all of its pages. Hence, costs are increased; revenues are decreased.